ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 27 /PRNewswire/ — As a national supporter of Cover the Uninsured Week, the American Diabetes Association strongly expressed concern about legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would create new health plans leaving diabetes patients without critical protections for education and supplies currently guaranteed to them in 46 states. H.R. 525, the “Small Business Health Fairness Act,” would allow new association health plans (AHPs) to circumvent state regulation and oversight, taking away coverage critical for diabetes patients’ ability to manage their disease. The American Diabetes Association is working to ensure that Americans with diabetes can obtain health insurance that is simultaneously available, affordable and adequate. Association Health Plan legislation, which the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on in the next few weeks, would undermine those efforts.
“People with diabetes need access to coverage that is not only affordable, but also adequate. For the 18.2 million Americans who have diabetes, being underinsured with respect to their diabetes supplies and education is as problematic as being uninsured. Through the American Diabetes Association’s efforts, 46 states have enacted legislation requiring health plans to provide diabetes education and supplies. Unfortunately, these hard-won state protections are under attack as Congress considers Association Health Plan legislation. Passage of AHP legislation would not help but hurt our efforts to adequately cover those with diabetes,” said Stewart Perry, Chair of the Association’s National Advocacy Committee.
SOURCE American Diabetes Association
Web Site: http://www.diabetes.org
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